Hurricane Roof Damage

Hurricanes are one of the worst natural disasters. Think of the infamous Hurricane Katrina, which virtually destroyed New Orleans. But even calmer blows of the elements can be critical for your home. At the same time, the roof, being the highest element of the house, most often suffers from the impact of hurricanes.

What to do in case of hurricane roof damage? How to behave during the rampage of the elements? How to restore the property? We will describe all this in our article.

What Is Considered Hurricane Roof Damage?

Roof damage caused by a hurricane can be direct or indirect. In the first case, strong gusts of wind might affect the roof. They can blow off the shingles, tear off the roof from the rafters, destroy the rafters and ridge. A hurricane wind may be so strong that it can damage even the most powerful roof. And here it does not matter what type of roofing you have got, because a hurricane can be equally destructive for both tiled and bituminous roofs, metal tiles and slates.

An indirect elemental blow can be even more devastating. This type of hurricane roof damage includes:

• Damage to the roof caused by the trees falling near the house. The force of a hurricane can easily uproot trees, which can cause massive roof damage.
• Damage caused by objects lifted into the air. Of course, the cases where a hurricane gets heavy equipment or cars into the air, as it often happens in Hollywood blockbusters, are not so common, fortunately for us. But, large branches, garden furniture, trash cans, or simply loose items may well end up on your roof due to a hurricane.

What to Do if a Hurricane Is Blowing Away Your Roof

It is scary to be in a house during a hurricane, especially if you are not sure about the reliability of your roof. How to behave during and immediately after the natural disaster? The tips below will help you not to get completely distressed.

1. During a hurricane, try to refuge together with your loved ones in the basement. Take some supply of food, water, warm clothes and documents. Don't forget about your pets. If you have a one-story house, it can save your life in case the hurricane roof damage is severe enough to collapse the roof.
2. Call rescue services. Once the hurricane is over, their help will be needed. Do not leave the basement, even if it seems that the natural disaster is over. Hurricanes often cause breaks in power lines, so you may find yourself in an electric shock zone. It is better to wait when the emergency services de-energize the area.
3. Call the police too. Even if there are no victims of the hurricane, the police will help draw up an act and record the damage caused by the disaster.
4. If the hurricane roof damage is so severe that the house cannot be used for living, rent temporary housing right away. Be sure to include your hotel/rent bills in the set of documents you submit to your insurance company. You must be compensated for the alternative housing.
5. Call your insurance company as soon as it is safe to be outside. It is necessary to fix the damage as soon as possible.
6. After inspecting your roof with an insurance adjuster, call a roof repair technician. Only an expert can say for sure whether it is worth changing the roof completely, or whether it will be enough to repair the damaged fragments.

Some Tips on How to Claim on Your Insurance for Hurricane Roof Damage

First, re-read the terms of your insurance policy. It has become a norm for many insurance companies to impose different levels of hurricane coverage for roofs, depending on the newness of the roof and its condition. If the roof is old, it is possible that you will be paid exactly the amount it is worth at the time of the damage. For newer coatings, insurers may pay full compensation for roof replacement.

Then ask the repair company to provide you with an estimate for the restoration. It is better to provide the real cost figure yourself, rather than rely on the decision of an insurance adjuster, who can lower the price for restoration in order to pay you less.

Hire a wind damage public adjuster. In case of hurricane roof damage, this is the best solution, because in this way you can get much more compensation than if you act on your own. Despite the fact that you will have to pay the public adjuster about 12-15% of the compensation amount, the remaining amount will be quite enough for you to fully repair the roof after a hurricane.

The roof which was damaged by a hurricane is a terrible sight to behold. But, it is not the end of the world. It can be repaired or restored. Yes, it implies extra costs and considerable time input, but, with the right strategy, you can get compensated by the insurance company with minimal deduction. For this, it is important to maintain your roof in good condition before the hurricane. It can also be useful to immediately hire a public adjuster, who will deal with the insurance in a more efficient and profitable way.